World Osteoporosis Day
Tomorrow people around the globe will observe World Osteoporosis Day. This is a day to recognise those who are afflicted with this condition and to raise awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of it. The day is put together by the International Osteoporosis Foundation with various activities taking place in over 90 different countries. The day itself has been happening since 1996, first started by the National Osteoporosis Society in the UK with the International Osteoporosis Foundation taking over the following year.
Each year the day takes on a special theme and this years theme is ‘Serve Up Bone Strength’. Themes in past years have included awareness, early detection, bone health, risk factors, quality of life, nutrition and more!
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Junk Food and Bone Health
The connection between junk food and poor bone development has been researched extensively with reports being presented in the popular journal, Osteoporosis International. The research has suggested that those who grow up within close proximity to several fast food establishments are more likely to consume junk food, and they have discovered a link between the presence of these food choices in the diet and poor bone development.
Whole Grains and Heart Health
Cardiovascular diseases are a leading killer all around the globe, claiming the lives of over 17 million people worldwide each year. That equates to three in every ten deaths. In the United States alone over 800,000 people die each year of this cause.
High Five for World Arthritis Day!
Since 1996 October 12th has been recognized as World Arthritis Day. The aim of this day is to raise awareness of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (also known as RMDs). You might be wondering, however, what exactly is arthritis and how does it affect those living with it?
The term arthritis actually just refers to joint inflammation and describes more than 100 diseases and conditions that affect joints. Arthritis can affect anyone at anytime and is the leading cause of disability in the United States, with more 50 million adults and 30,000 children being affected. Common symptoms of arthritis include pain, swelling, stiffness, and decreased range of motion. There are many different types of arthritis and symptoms can range from mild to severe.
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Calcium and Ageing: How Much is Enough?
As we age our risk of injury increases and we have to pay closer attention to how we take care of ourselves. Not only does it become more important to eat well and to exercise regularly, but we must also be more careful in general about the activities that we engage in. In order to protect ourselves from injury as we grow into our senior years, it is helpful to have a working knowledge of nutrition. This is because the nutrients that we consume play a huge role in maintaining our health, fitness and range of functions.
Running for Health and Happiness
We all know that regular cardio workouts are great for the body. They help us to lose weight, improve stamina and also to build and strengthen muscles in certain parts of the body!
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Getting Started with Weightlifting
Choosing to get fit and exercise at home with dumbbells is a great way to improve your strength while building your muscles and physique. Doing so helps to combat the need to go to the gym, which not only saves you time when it comes to your fitness, but it also saves you money too as you are not paying for a monthly gym membership!
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Orthopedic Bone Drilling
Although it sounds extreme, bone drilling is sometimes a necessary part of orthopedic surgery. This is most common when a person suffers a fracture and it has to be treated with a direct approach. This means that plates, wires and immobilization screws have to be used inside the body. The drill itself is an electric device that is used by the surgeon to create holes in bones. Other common reasons for drilling bones in surgery are fixing implants and fitting prosthetic devices. The bone drill is sometimes referred to as a saw and certain types can also be used manually although this is less common at the present time.
Through extensive research experts have determined that the best orthopedic drill is one that has a split point and a quick helix. It is important to cause as little thermal damage as possible when drilling through bone and this is a prime consideration during the design process. If the area around a drill hole experiences a dramatic rise in temperature than this can negatively affect the healing process and even cause permanent damage. Infection is another risk factor and it is known that blunt drill bits are often the culprit for this temperature increase occurring. The angle at which the drill is applied is also an essential consideration of this type of orthopedic surgery.
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The History of the X-Ray
The X-ray machine is an absolute staple of modern medicine! It makes the diagnosis of certain conditions possible as well as making several other problems much easier to diagnose than they were in the past. The X-ray was first discovered by a German physicist known as Wilhelm Rontgen in 1895 when he was attempting to pass electrical currents through a glass tube at low pressure. While he was doing this he realised that highly energetic electromagnetic radiation (X-rays) was able to penetrate solid objects. This was a breakthrough that literally immediately transformed the face of medicine. It was the first time that the inside of the body could be seen without having to cut into flesh and it was a discovery that amazed everyone!
Exercise Without The Gym!
Many people who are into fitness tend to spend large amounts of time at the gym. This undoubtedly yields great results for a lot of people, but it can be quite time consuming - as well as expensive! If you don’t have the time or the money to be getting in the gym as often as you would like, then there are plenty of alternatives that are just as great for your health and fitness.